Introducing the gBall™

This weekend around the country, the gBall(BETA) will change Australian rules football as we know it.

Building on our core strength in search, Google was approached by a number of Australian rules football leagues to apply our technology in their search for new talent. In response, Google, in partnership with the official supplier of matchballs to the AFL, Sherrin, has developed the gBall. Incorporating specially developed Google technology, it will be used in all school and amateur competitions - and will go on sale to the public - this weekend.

Users can plug in and register their gBall online, using a simple interface. The gBall contains inbuilt GPS and motion sensor systems to monitor the location, force and torque of each kick. The data is interpreted by a new curvilenear parabolic approximation algorithm developed in Google's Sydney office, known as DENNIS ("Dimensional, Elastic, Non-Linear, Network-Neutral, Inertial Sequencing"), which plots the ball's trajectory, accuracy and distance.

Using artificial intelligence technology, Google can provide users - from amateurs to professional players - with detailed online kicking tips, style suggestions and tutorials based on their gBall kicking data.

Kicking data is also sent to national talent scouts and player agents. The gBall will vibrate if talent scouts or player agents want to make contact with the user. Users can log in to their gBall account to make contact.

As an added bonus, anyone who misplaces his or her gBall will be able to search Google Maps to locate it.

Beta testimonials

"Bloody brilliant. I was out during lunch, kicking with my mates and I let a couple rip from 60 metres out. The gBall vibrated and I've now got an agent. I resigned from work yesterday as contract negotiations are now in final stages with the Eagles."

Tom, Tasmania

"I was kicking the footy 80 metres over wheat silos as a teenager. How many other kids are doing that today? Now Google can tell us. This is fantastic."

John "Chocko" Miller (Victorian State of Origin legend)

"The extra weight and width takes a few days to get used to, especially in the wet, but this is a really positive development. I've already got some useful tips on how to kick straighter by using the gBall."

Name withheld, unnamed AFL club, Sydney

"I finally found me footy. Me little brother had chucked it on the shed roof, but we found it again on Google."

Mitch, Adelaide

"Thanks Google and Sherrin - this gets my boyfriend out of my hair for a few hours each day. He won't stop kicking the gBall. He goes to the park on his own and kicks it from one end to the other, fetches it, and kicks it back. He says he's waiting for it to vibrate."

Cara, Perth

Google, gBall and their logos are trademarks of Google Inc. All gBalls are made to comply with Australian Standard AS-0104-2009 (Use of electronic Geo-navigational satellite instrumentation in leather goods).